Pike pole



June 6, 1967 T. J. CROWLEY PIKE POLE Filed June 24, 1965 IN V EN TOR.THOMAS JCROWLEY WM 5 M ATTO R N EYJ United States Patent 3,323,826 PIKEPSLE Thomas J. Crowley, Boston, Mass, assignor, by mesne assignments, toAutomatic Sprinkler Corporation of America, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Filed June 24, 1965, Ser. No. 466,628 1 Ciairn. (Ci.294-19) This invention relates to pike poles for use as fire fightinginstruments and more particularly to a novel and versatile lightweightmetal pike pole. Pike poles have been universally employed by firemenfor centuries, their very name signifying their antiquity as Well astheir probable origin. These instruments have many diverse uses but areprimarily employed to break through and/or tear away building structuressuch as plaster walls, lathing and the like to expose hidden fires inburning buildings, ventilate portions of burning buildings or probablesources of re-ignition in situations where the original fire has beenextinguished.

In prior art poles of this type, the handle has been normally rigid andnormally constructed of wood or like material. Because of the rigidconstruction of prior art pike poles and since the pole handle must beof sufiicient length to give the fire fighter capability of reachingextremities in a room or enclosure, the pike poles of the prior art haveheretofore been rather unwieldy for operation in small enclosed areassuch as closets or in situations where its capability is limited by thecloseness of walls or similar obstructions. In addition, since the pikesor tools mounted on the prior art handles are of much greater densityand relative weight than a like portion of the handle, a certain topheaviness was inherent in longer poles.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a pike pole whichcan be utilized in situations where maximum reach is required as well asin situations where minimum working room is available by furnishing ahandle which can be telescoped or extended according to the requirementsof the particular job to be accomplished. The handle portion can be madeof a strong lightweight metal, such as aluminum, of sufficient linearunit weight to overcome the top heavy condition of the prior artdevices.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pike pole which canbe quickly and easily adjusted to a plurality of working lengths.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device fortelescopable pike poles wherein the telescoping portions thereof arequickly and simply adjustable betwen working positions while relativerotation between the elements is effectively prevented.

These and other objects of the invention will become better understoodby reference to the following detailed description when viewed in thelight of the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals indicate likeparts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a pike pole in accordance withthe invention partly in section and partly broken away, showing the polein its extreme elongated configuration in solid lines and in a shortenedcondition in phantom;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the pole ofFIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Turning now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings for a more completeunderstanding of the invention, a pike pole in accordance with theinvention is shown in solid lines in its configuration and in phantomlines in a shortened elongated condition. The pole comprises a handleshown generally at with a rake or hook 12 afiixed to one end thereof.The handle 10 is formed of two component arts, a tubular segment 14telescopically receiving an elongated segment 16. The rake 12 is made ofan annealed, malleable iron highly resistant to deformation. The rake ispress-fitted or otherwise fixedly secured to the outer end of segment 14while the segments 14 and 16 are made of a lightweight metal, preferablyaluminum. As shown in FIGURE 1, the rake is formed in the shape of apointed hook but can be configured otherwise as may be required forother particular jobs. A key pin 20 extends through the wall of thetubular segment 14 to cooperate with a slot 18 longitudinally disposedin the elongated segment 16. A lock pin 22 is insertable throughorifices 26 and 28 suitably disposed in the tubular segment 14 and theelongated segment 16 respectively as will be described in greater detailbelow. A flexible retaining member 24 is affixed to the head of the lockpin 22 and to the outer surface of the tubular segment 14 to retain thelock pin 22 when it is not in use or when it is disengaged.

A pair of hand grips 23 are preferably provided at spaced points on theexterior of the segment 14 to provide a suitable gripping surface forthe pole user. In the preferred embodiment the grips 23 are formed fromconvolutions of cord, preferably of a bright red or other suitableattention-attracting color.

In FIGURES 2 and 3 an enlarged view of the juncture between the segments14 and 16 is shown to illustrate, with greater clarity, details of thestructure thereof. As seen particularly in FIGURE 3, the key pin 26 isthreaded in a hole tapped through the wall of the tubular segment 14 andextends into the slot 18 of the elongated segment 16. This structureprevents relative rotation of the segments 14 and 16 while allowingtelescoping motion therebetween. The slot 18 is a length suitable toprovide for full movement between the elongated and shortened configurations shown in FIGURE 1 and serves, in conjunction with the keypin 20, to provide a stop at at least the extreme elongatedconfiguration of the pike pole.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 2 of the drawings, a set of alignedlock pin receiving holes 26 are provided through the walls of thetubular segment 14. A similar set of lock pin receiving holes 28 aredisposed through the elongated segments 16 and are oriented with respectto the slot 18 so that the holes 26 and 28 may be brought into alignmentby proper telescoping motion between the segments. As will be seen moreclearly in FIG- URE 1 of the drawings, at least one set of holes 28 isprovided proximate the end of the elongated member 16. The sets of holes28 are preferably disposed longitudinally with respect to the ends ofthe slots 18 so that they are in alignment with the holes 26 when thekey pin 20 engages either end of the slot 18. A resiliently biasedretaining member 30 is provided on the free end of the lock pin 22 torestrain the pin against accidental withdrawal from the lock pinreceiving holes. This member may be in the form of spring loaded detentsor may be, as shown, in the form of a snap ring which will compress toprovide for withdrawal of the lock pin 22 when a suitable pulling forceis exerted upon the pin.

In operation and starting with the pole in its shortened configuration,as shown in phantom in FIGURE 1, a configuration which is necessary foruse in close spaces, the pin 22 is withdrawn from the holes 26 and theholes 28 proximate the rake end of the elongated member 16. Theelongated segment 16 is then withdrawn from the tubular segment 14 untilthe pin 20 engages the end of the slot 18 most remote from the rake endof the elongated member 16. At this point the holes 26 and 28 are inalignment and the pin 22 is then reinserted to lock the segments in theelongated configuration as shown in FIGURE 1.

The relative thickness of the telescoping members 14 and 16 with respectto the hook-tool can be seen in FIG- URE 1. Although the handle portionis sufiiciently slim for efiicient gripping, the linear unit weight issuificiently high to overcome top heaviness even when the handle isextended.

It should be obvious that additional sets of holes 28 could be providedthroughout the length of the elongated segment 16 if desired, to furnishapike pole with any desired number of adjustable lengths. In any event,this invention furnished a pike pole which is adjustable to at least twodifferent lengths and is usable at its full strength in either of thelengths selected by the user. By the interrelationship of thearrangement of the key slot and the locking pin holes, the lock pinreceiving holes of the respective segments are easily and quicklyalignablein the event that rapid adjustment of the pole is required.Since the pole is of metal, the manufacture of an adjustment feature isfacilitated and the resulting product will withstand temperatures whichwould normally ignite or char, and thereby weaken wooden handles.

The specific embodiment set forth above is illustrative and is primarilyintended to enable those skilled in the art in understanding theteachings of the invention. It should therefore be obvious, in the lightof the above teachings that within the scope of the appended claim, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. 7

What is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

A pike pole comprising a tubular segment, an elongated segmenttelescopically disposed within said tubular segment, a rake fixed to oneend of said elongated segment, said elongated segment having a slotlongitudinal- 4 ly disposed in the outer surface thereof and extendingto points proximate each end thereof, and inwardly extending key on theinner surface of said tubular segment, said key projecting into saidslot to fixed relative rotational alignment between said segments and tostop continued telescoping motion between said segments at the extendedand retracted extremes thereof by contact with the ends of said slot, alock pin, said tubular segment having a pair of transversely alignedlock pin receiving holes therethrough, said elongated segment having apair of transversely aligned lock pin receiving holes proximate eitherend thereof, the relative disposition of said pairs of holes;

said key and the end of said slot being such that one of said pairs ofholes in said elongated segment is aligned with said pair of holes insaid tubular segment when said key engages either end of the slot insaid elongated segment, said lock pin positively fixing telescopingmotion between said segments when inserted through the aligned lock pinreceiving holes.

7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,208,624 12/1916 Newman 294-19X 2,017,369 10/1935 McGhee 29419 X 2,818,290 12/1957 Harocopa 287583,041,655 7/1962 Entler 294-19 X FOREIGN PATENTS 841,396 7/1960 GreatBritain. 990,912 5/1965 Great Britain.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner.

